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With friends like Deval ...

The issue comes down to whom you believe: the politician or the political reporter.

The question is whether Gov. Deval Patrick raised the prospect of U.S. Attorney Carmen Ortiz running for governor at a recent closed-door meeting with legislative leaders, all Democrats.

The governor says he never did. Frank Phillips of The Boston Globe, citing unnamed sources, says he did. And he wrote about it last week.

The other two at the Nov. 26 meeting -- Senate President Therese Murray and House Speaker Robert DeLeo -- are not saying anything, because the meeting was supposed to be confidential. It is also probably wise, too, since Ortiz is conducting an ongoing grand-jury investigation into possible legislative wrongdoing in the hiring practices at the Probation Department.

But that is not all. Phillips also reported that Patrick left the impression that the two legislative leaders would be impressed with Ortiz if they met with her, given her rise from poverty to a successful legal career.

Patrick denied that as well. "I can tell you the Globe got it absolutely wrong," Patrick said.

Phillips said: "We are comfortable with our sourcing."

After interviews with sources close to the situation, it is clear that Phillips' story is accurate, despite the governor's denials. Patrick did bring up Ortiz's name in an effort to test the political waters on Beacon Hill for an Ortiz candidacy in 2014. Patrick is not running for re-election.

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Unfortunately for him, the story leaked and put him in an awkward situation with Tim Murray, his lieutenant governor, who also wants to run for governor but whose political plans have been hampered by controversy surrounding his car crash and his relationship with former Chelsea (and Dracut) Housing Authority Director Michael McLaughlin, who is under investigation.

Other Democrats mentioned as potential candidates include Attorney General Martha Coakley and state Treasurer Steve Grossman.

Patrick, whether by design, naiveté or plain insensitivity, astonished both legislative leaders when he raised the prospect with them of an Ortiz candidacy. This came as her endless grand-jury probe has summoned 50 or so legislators for questioning over getting jobs for friends at the Probation Department.

Ortiz, who has made a name for herself with the prosecution of former House Speaker Sal DiMasi on corruption charges, rushed in precipitously when the patronage-abuse story about kickbacks for jobs at Probation first broke.

It is a tough premise to prove because the system does not normally work that way. Political patronage, or helping a constituent get a state job, is not a crime. It only becomes one if there is a payoff involved. And, despite occasional lapses, this does not happen very often.

There are not that many legislators stupid enough to accept a bribe and not expect to eventually be exposed, unless, of course, it is disguised as a campaign contribution.

While both DeLeo and Senate President Murray have denied any wrongdoing, or that they are targets of the investigation, scores of legislators -- mainly members of the House -- have been summoned to testify before the grand jury.

They have been asked whether any quid pro quo -- or kickbacks -- were involved when legislators got jobs for constituents at the Probation Department, or if any legislative leader dangled jobs in front of them in exchange for votes, like the votes that went to elect DeLeo as speaker of the House following DiMasi's departure.

So far, the Ortiz grand-jury investigation, which has made a lot of headlines, has yet to produce any meaningful results, as far as implicating any legislators or legislative leaders in any wrongdoing.

If patronage, or the wasteful spending of taxpayer money, were crimes, they would have to arrest, indict, try, convict and sentence practically every elected official on Beacon Hill, from the governor on down.

As far as political patronage is concerned, it all depends on who is defining the terms because patronage, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. When the governor does it, it is good government. When the Legislature does it, it borders on the criminal.

What is clear is that, although the plot to leak Patrick's remarks about Ortiz to the Globe may have embarrassed the governor, it surely damaged Ortiz.

The governor put Ortiz in the position of a supplicant seeking a meeting about running for governor from the very people her office is investigating. How does that work?

The answer from the speaker will go something like this: "Sure, we'll meet. I'll call. But darlin', if the phone don't ring, you'll know it's me."

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